"I am so excited!" Kizzy shivers a little, her paws prancing in the grass. "Soon!"
"Soon!" echoes Shaddo. Jiggs, stretched out next to his buddy, nods his head sagely. "Yes, indeed. Coming up fast."
"Soon what?" asks Binx. He has been busy chasing a butterfly with Tigerlilly, and the conversation of the three young cats is very intriguing to him. He has not been in the Meadow very long, so everything is new and fascinating.
The butterfly stitches through the air, eluding the two kittens with grace and ease.
The three older cats smile at each other, and Tigerlilly cuffs Binx with one small paw.
"Pay attention!" she whispers to Binx. "We almost got him that last time!"
Binx turns to give Tigerlilly a bit of backchat, but he sees the large shadow behind her.
And the large Wolf who belongs to the shadow.
"We weren't going to hurt him," whispers Binx in a subdued tone, ducking his small head. Tigerlilly decides to become very quiet and tries to melt into a bunch of clover.
"You two little scamps should know by now that nothing can be killed here," says the Wolf, trying to sound grave and serious.
However, Jiggs hears the humor in the great creature's voice, and Shaddo can see that the Wolf is trying very hard not to laugh.
Binx looks up at the Wolf, and the Wolf leans down to kiss the little kits.
"I love you two," he smiles, as they move quickly to lean against him in the afternoon sun. It is impossible not to love members of The Kitten Pack!
Tigerlilly dabs at the Wolf. "What is coming soon?" she asks, peering upward.
"What?" repeats Binx. "WHAT are we waiting for?"
"The Star glowing in the dark night," answers the Wolf, "and then the music, the soft wind, and a dawn breaking through, struck with silver." The Wolf looks up into the late afternoon sky and the tumbling white clouds.
"We celebrate the birth of the Young Man with the scarred hands," continues the Wolf, lying down as the two kittens cuddle near him.
"Soft, pretty snow," he continues, "while icicles that glimmer as though moons were trapped within their hearts hang from every branch of the great Tree."
"But first," and the Wolf pauses, watching Binx and Tigerlilly hanging on his words.
"First," the Wolf drags out the single syllable, getting to his feet, "first — tag, you're it!"
Suddenly the two kittens fly across the lawn, giggling madly, with the Wolf and the three young cats in wild pursuit.
And now they wait for the bright Star, and the music, and the good and gracious time when all is soft and bright — in just a few more days.
Soon.
